Before the war, Umm Asmaa used to cook in her family kitchen, a place filled with warmth, laughter, and the smell of home-cooked meals. That was before bombs forced her, her husband, and their three daughters, including one who suffers from asthma, to flee their home.
Now, displaced in a Syrian camp, her once-beautiful kitchen is a distant memory. She cooks on an open fire on bare ground, breathing in smoke and worrying as her children play dangerously close to the flames.
A new reality
They have been living in the camp for nearly two years, trying their best to adjust to this new reality. Yet, Umm Asmaa says cooking for her family remains one of the hardest parts of daily life.
We light a fire outside and collect olive sticks and cartons to cook… but we do not have firewood or a good stove.
Umm Asmaa explains. “I am always afraid and put water next to me while cooking, in case the tent catches fire. It’s very difficult.”
Thanks to ReliefAid’s Fire for Life stove, families like Umm Asmaa’s now have a safer way to prepare meals. The stove produces less smoke, reducing the risk of respiratory problems for her daughter with asthma, and lowers the danger of nearby materials catching alight.
For families navigating life in displacement camps, this small change makes a big difference. It’s more than a stove, it’s a little bit of relief, a touch of safety, and a way to bring a sense of normalcy back to daily life.
You could help families like Umm Asmaa’s by donating. Just $25 helps a family survive.
